Door closer



Sept. 22, 1953 Filed March i, dfi/:Carlson BY l' l. l `9 I wZ///Ar//A/ 4A-,W I///// MMM/7% IN VENT 0R.

Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR CLOSER Boyd N. Carlson, El Monte, Calif.

Application March 19, 1951, Serial No. 216,437

2 Claims.

This invention relates to door closers in general and in particular to a tension-spring-operated door closer of improved design suitable for doors pivotally mounted on hinges.

There are many designs utilized to close or to retain pivotally mounted doors in closed relationship. The most common is the familiar latch comprising in its simplest form a pivotally mounted member secured to the door itself and adapted to engage an open bracket on the door frame. With this construction the operator must close the door and then manually turn the pivotally mounted member into engagement with the bracket to retain the door in closed relationship. Another familiar device is the spring latch which comprises in a simple form a spring-urged wedge-Shaped member positioned in a suitable body member on the edge of the door and adapted to engage a suitable bracket on the door frame. vStill another familiar device is the spring-loaded detent which, in a familiar form comprises a seat, which may comprise a metall'ned circular well, is constructed in the floor or door frame. An elongated cylindrical member having a closed rounded outer end is positioned and is urged to its outermost position by a coil spring the inner end of which abuts the bottom of the well. A detent-receiving seat is provided to receive and seat the end of the detent with the door in closed position and is constructed as to effect a retaining action in the absence of a positive displacing force.

Frequently an obstacle to closing and retaining a door in closed position is that the latch, detent or other device relied upon fails properly to engage its cooperative part due to the failure of the operator fully to close the door or to retain it closed for a sufficient period to enable the parts to engage fully.

vIn an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present device the shortcomings of the prior art are largely overcome while its advantages `are largely retained. It is not necessary to hold the door in closed position for any period of time to enable the device to perform its retaining function and the door is permitted free and unhindered pivotal movement when not closed.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device to engage and retain a pivotally vmounted door in closed'relationship to its frame.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device affixed to the door frame which will, upon being contacted by the door, seize, move and positively retain the latter in closed rela- `tionship against accidental displacement.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a spring action door closer axed to the door frame which will, upon contact by the door, seize, move and retain the latter in closed relationship.

Still a further object of this invention is to move a door from a substantially closed position to a fully closed position with a positive snap action and to retain it positively in its closed position.

Referring now to the drawing:

Figure 1 is an isometric View of a door closer constructed in accordance with the present invention mounted on an ordinary door frame;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the door closer in its door-engaging position and the pivoted door in its position immediately prior to its engagement therewith or immediately after breaking such engagement;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the door closer and the door frame showing the door in its closed position and the closer in its door-retaining position; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the door closer taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Referring again to the drawing and in particular to Figure 1, a door closer constructed in aocordance with the present invention, indicated generally by reference character Il), is shown mounted on the oor or lower horizontal member of a door frame of conventional construction, indicated generally by reference character 8. A conventional door 9 is pivotally mounted on hinges 1 (Figure 2) to the upright member of the door frame. A bracket I'I adapted to be engaged by the curved extremity of an arm I6 of the door Y closer I0 is mounted on the interior face of the door. The door closer I0 is secured tothe floor of frame 8 by suitable screws I2 which pass through holes in base plate II of the door closer. Base plate II has one edge adapted to lie along the front edge of frame 8 and adjacent and parallel to the inside face of the door with the latter closed. With the edge of the base plate so posi- -tioned the closer arm I6 is properly spaced for cooperation with the door-carried bracket I'l, both the closer `and the bracket being positioned at the proper distance from the pivot axis of the door as represented by the hinge 1.

Door closer I0 comprises, in addition to base plate II, two inter-linked parallel plates I3 and I9 pivotally mounted on spaced pins I Il and 2I, respectively, xed in and extended perpendicularly from base plate I I. Plate I3 may be denoted as the arm plate and plate I9 as the follower plate. Arm plate I3 is positioned over and partially overlies follower plate I9, the opposing surfaces making sliding contact as shown in Figure 4.

Arm plate I3 carries a downwardly extending pin 23 which seats slidingly in open-ended slot 2li in follower plate I9. When arm plate I3 is pivoted about its pivot I4 by a force exerted upon its arm I6 the resultant movement of pin 23 in slot 24 of follower plate I9 causes the latter plate to pivot about the pivot pin 2| in the opposite direction.

An arcuate elongated slot 26 in arm plate I3 slidably encloses the pivot pin 2| of arm plate I3 the ends of the slot serving as stops to limit the pivotal movement of the plate I3. Arm plate I3 is formed along one edge at a distance from arm I6 with a post 29 extending upwardly and to which is secured one end of a tension spring 28, the other end of the spring being aixed to a similar post 2l on the follower plate I9. Pivot pins I4 and 2| are fixed on base plate II while posts 2i and 29 are movable with respect to that plate and to the pivot pins. The exact location of the posts is not important so long as they are positioned on their respective plates so as to travel in the same direction across the center line of pins I4 and 2| upon the conjoint movement of the arm plate I3 and follower plate I9.

.ln Figure 3 the door is shown completely closed and arm I6 of plate I3 has engaged bracket II and is threaded through its slot I8. When the door is pulled open bracket I'I slides along arm I6 as arm IS and its carrying plate I3 pivot counterclockwise against the tension of spring 28. Follower plate I9 simultaneously pivots clockwise from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 2, being connected to plate I3 by the pin and slot connection 23, 2d. As arm plate I3 pivots counterclockwise, and follower plate I9 pivots clockwise, post 2'I on plate I9 and post 29 on plate I3 and their connecting tension spring 28 pass from one side to the other side of the center line of pivot pins III and 2|. Obviously upon each side of that center line spring 28 exerts a tension tending to pivot plates I3 and I9 to their end positions determined by the pin and slot connection. The counterclockwise rotation of arm I6 induced by the tension of spring 28 as it passes over center is stopped only when the end of its arcuate elongated slot 26 has reached post 2|, as shown in Figure 2. At this point arm I6 has fully disengaged bracket II and door 9 is fully released and free to open, as shown in Figure l.

In Figure 2 the door 9 is shown in a position it assumes in moving to closed position and immediately before contact of bracket I'I with closer arm I9. In this position the arm plate I3 is in its extreme outer or counterclockwise position in which it was left by the door as the latter opened. On closing door 9 the outer face of arm I5 contacts the base of bracket I1, the movement of the door pivoting plate I3 clockwise against the action of tension spring 28 so that the extreme end of arm I6, which is curved to form a hook, engages slot I8. As arm plate I3 pivots clockwise follower plate I9, of course, pivots counterclockwise. This relative movement of the plates moves post 2|) and post 21, and spring 28 connected therebetween, from the right of the center line of pins Iii and 2|, as viewed in Figure 2, to the left thereof. Tension spring 28 thereupon pivots arm plate I3 clockwise with a snap until stopped upon the end of arcuate elongated slot 29 contacting pin 2|, as illustrated in Figure 3. Arm plate I3 is so positioned on base plate II 4 that when it reaches this extreme clockwise doorretaining position with bracket I'I engaged, door 9 firmly abuts door frame 8 in a fully closed relationship.

In the drawing the door closer II is shown mounted on the floor of a conventional cabinet or room with conventional screws I2 inserted through suitable holes provided therefor in base plate I I. However, the closer may be mounted on the frame, or ceiling, or intermediate shelf of the cabinet or room or at any other point, it being important only that the axis of rotation of the door 9 on hinges 'I and the axis of rotation of arm plate I3 on pin III be substantially parallel. Further, the closer may be positioned on the underside of a shelf instead of on the upper side thereof, as illustrated in the drawing.

While the particular device herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a door closer of the class described, a base plate adapted to be mounted on a fixed member adjacent the inner face of a pivotally mounted door in its closed position, an arm plate having a door-engaging arm mounted on said base plate to pivot about an axis perpendicular to said base plate, a lever extended between said arm plate and said base plate, formed with a slot, and mounted on said base plate to pivot about an axis perpendicular to said base plate, a pin affixed to and extending perpendicularly from the lower face of said arm plate toward said base plate, said pin being slidingly enclosed in said slot in said lever, a tension spring connecting a point on said arm plate to a point on said lever, said points being movable with said plates and so positioned that said spring moves across the line of centers of the pivotal axes of said arm plate and lever upon their pivotal movement -in opposite directions, the tension of said spring being adapted to eifect relative pivotal movement between said arm plate and said lever upon being moved across said line of centers.

2. In a door closer of the type adapted to engage and move a door into completely closed position and to release said door for free movement after a limited pivotal movement from said completely closed position comprising, a retaining unit adapted to be mounted in a position adjacent the inner face of said door in its completely closed position, said retaining unit including a base plate adapted to be mounted on a fixed surface at a position adjacent the inner face of said door when closed and at a distance from its pivotal axis, a pivot pin fixed to said base plate, a lever plate pivotally mounted on said pin and formed with a slot extended generally toward said pin, a second pivot pin fixed to said base plate, an arm plate pivotally mounted on said second pivot pin at a distance from the pivotal axis of said lever plate and formed with an arm movable, upon the pivotal movement of said arm plate, between an inner position in which it extends substantially parallel to said door with the latter in its completely closed position and an outer position in which it extends at an angle to the door in its closed position in order to make contact therewith as said door moves from open to closed position and before it reaches its completely closed position, said arm plate also being provided with a member engaging the slot in said lever plate and also formed With a slot enclosing the pivot pin pivotally supporting said lever plate and adapted to limit relative pivotal movement of said arm plate in either direction of pivotal movement by the contact of said pin with the 10 end of said slot, a coil spring connected to said arm plate and to said lever plate at spaced points so positioned relative to the pivot pins of said arm and lever plates as to cause said spring to move across the line of centers of the pivotal 15 axes of said plates as the latter pivot in opposite directions between their end positions, said spring exerting a pivoting force to move said arm and lever plates to their end positions.

BOYD N. CARLSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 847,909 Conklin Mar. 19, 1907 1,145,185 Coleman July 6, 1915 1,335,958 Farr Apr. 6, 1920 2,013,285 Mooney Sept. 3, 1935 2,016,519 Schmidt Oct. 8, 1935 

